Red wine has long been touted for its health benefits of reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. While no doctor is going advocate taking up red wine drinking to prevent a heart attack, many experts such as the Mayo Clinic have said that ”wine’s potential heart-healthy benefits look promising. Those who drink moderate amounts of alcohol, including red wine, seem to have a lower risk of heart disease.” And now, available in the UK for the first time, is what is claimed to be the world’s healthiest red wine. Boutique wine merchant, Wanderlust Wine, is exclusively distributing Madiran Camy, a red wine from producer Domaine Laougoué in South West France.
Camy is the main wine produced by the Domaine Laougoué with grapes grown on south-facing hillsides of the estate that gain the right exposure to the sun to ripen perfectly. Made from the Tannat grape, the wine combines fruit with richness. When I tried Camy, I could taste plums, prunes, damsons and blackcurrant flavors in what is a hearty, full-bodied wine.
Satisfying taste aside, why is this wine so healthy? Camy has been proven to have a higher concentration of procyanidins and resveratrol than any other type of wine in the world. These two compounds have scientifically proven health benefits. Made famous in Roger Corder’s famous book, The Wine Diet, Camy wine is produced in Madiran, South West France. Camy’s heart-healthy properties come from the Tannat grape, which has been praised due to the antioxidant compounds in its thick skins. While the average glass of red wine contains 30-40mg of procyanidins, Camy has over 120mg, four times that amount.
According to nutritionist, Rick Hay, “the profile of the wine from Domaine Laougoué benefits from very high levels of numerous phytonutrients that can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels. These red pigments can help with cardiovascular health and the digestive process, acting as potent antioxidants to fight free radical damage and promote cellular health. Research also indicates that they have the potential to improve diabetes and cognitive health.”
It seems fitting that Wanderlust Wine, a new British wine importer is the exclusive distributor of Camy. The company launched in 2015 to showcase new wines, new regions and new styles of wines. And they’re also keen on importing sustainably farmed wines, often organic and biodynamic certified. By working with small producers, it’s been possible to focus on sustainability. From growing the grapes to fermenting the juice and bottling their finished wines, these small producers do things in a way that keeps the vineyards naturally healthy and productive over the long term.
Wanderlust Wine was founded by Richard Ellison, a former banker and self-professed wine fanatic, who saw a gap in the market as an opportunity to combine his interests and passions into a long term career. After ten years in corporate banking, Mr. Ellison, an ex-chef with a degree in Food and Wine Technology, enrolled himself into wine school and fell in love with the wine industry. Mr. Ellison believes that Camy wine’s health kudos is down to the winemaker’s traditional, old fashioned method of winemaking; when the grapes are pressed, the skins are left with the juice to ferment for longer, ensuring the highest possible transfer of polyphenols and procyanidins from the skins into the wine. He says that Wanderlust Wine’s “brand ethos is to support smaller, lesser-known producers that make exceptional wine sustainably, so this producer is a natural fit for our portfolio.”
Wanderlust has gained a loyal following by offering “Wine on Demand”, a one-hour delivery service to Londoners and it also has a successful Wine Club subscription service. At present there are no overseas expansion plans but US investors have approached Mr. Ellison to mirror the business model in New York City and San Francisco. Wanderlust Wine’s healthiest red wine from Domaine Laougoué is Camy (Madiran appellation) from Domaine Laougoué, priced at £14.99/bottle and suitable for vegans. Also available in limited quantities is Camy Arbison priced at £42.99, the top wine of the Estate.
